It’s not surprising to learn that the St. Ignatius Mission, located on Montana’s Flathead Indian Reservation, is included in the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. Or unusual that the reason for its listing is the 58 stunning murals that adorn the mission’s walls and ceiling. What is uncommon, though, is Brother Joseph Carignano: the untrained amateur artist employed at the mission as a handyman and cook who painted them all in his spare time.
It is often called the “Crown of the Continent,” and for good reason too. With vaulting granite peaks soaring two miles high and ice carved valleys bejeweled by 762 lakes that sparkle like diamonds and sapphires in the mid-day sun, Glacier National Park is every bit a crown fit for a continent.
This time in Helena, Montana.
Built in the traditional neoclassical style, this building’s elaborate use of stained glass gives the interior a very different feel than other state capitols we’ve visited.
Yellowstone is anything but ordinary. Diverse may be a better one-word description of this iconic park. Huge is another good contender.
At 3,472 square miles, Yellowstone is more than two times larger than the entire state of Rhode Island. Even the massive volcanic caldera that gives rise to its signature hot springs and geysers still only represents about 40% of the park. The rest is covered by seemingly endless miles of natural beauty that is more typical of what we’ve come to expect from our national parks.
Everywhere Once 